For all its depth, diversity and cross-pollinated ambition, modern metal needs its figureheads, its heroes and its leaders. Lamb of God have been blazing mercilessly away at the forefront of heavy music for the last 15 years, upholding metal’s intrinsic values of honesty, intensity and creativity while also daring to push boundaries and think outside the heavy box. Exploding into view with 2000’s seminal debut New American Gospel, the Virginian quintet inadvertently kick-started the so-called New Wave Of American Metal at the dawn of the 21st century; and have notched up a succession of huge commercial hit albums and remorselessly toured the globe ever since. The combination of vocalist Randy Blythe’s excoriating growls and roars, guitarists Willie Adler and Mark Morton’s precision attack and the bowel-shattering rumble of rhythm section John Campbell (bass) and Chris Adler (drums) has both refined and redefined the notion of aggressive metal in the modern era.

From the raw savagery of 2003’s As The Palaces Burn and its immaculate follow-up Ashes Of The Wake in 2004 to the widescreen pomp and melodic intricacy of Sacrament in 2006, the band’s rise to glory was steady and unstoppable. By the time they released their #2 US Billboard-charting album Wrath in 2009, Lamb of God were simply one of the biggest metal bands on the planet, with a vast army of fans worldwide and a formidable reputation for delivering the goods on stage, with countless headlining tours and festival appearances contributing to their status as standard bearers for heavy music. 2012’s Resolution album marked a startling evolution in the band’s sound, displaying laudable levels of experimental fervor and sonic breadth. It built upon the successes of previous years by smashing into the US Billboard charts at #3 and looked to usher in a new era of acclaim and achievement.

Of course, what happened next is well documented. Vocalist Randy Blythe’s trials and tribulations in the Czech Republic – wherein he stood accused of causing intentional bodily harm to a fan at an LOG show in Prague in 2010 and faced a lengthy prison sentence – momentarily threatened both his freedom and the future of his band. Eventually acquitted on all charges, Randy has spoken at length on his experiences and while it would be inaccurate to state that the new Lamb of God album – VII: Sturm Und Drang – represents the story of those dark days, it undoubtedly had a huge impact on the lyrical direction that he took this time round.

“There’s no way around it, my trip to the gated community in Europe was the starting point for writing this record,” he states. “I wrote the opening track, Still Echoes, almost in its entirety. You’re familiar with the Misfits song London Dungeon, which is about when they got arrested? Well, I’m a huge Misfits fan so I thought I might as well write my own London Dungeon, except for it’s not in London. I also wrote parts of the song 512 while I was there, so I had those two things. But writing in there was an act of preservation for my morale, I suppose. Being creative, whenever I’m going through something rough and I don’t have anything else to turn to, I pick up the pen…”

With such a dramatic entry point for the writing process for Lamb of God’s seventh album, this was never going to be an upbeat affair. Inspired by those initial lyrical ideas, Randy Blythe and guitarist Mark Morton have conjured a collection of dark and menacing but ultimately inspirational lyrics for VII: Sturm Und Drang, an album that deals with extreme real life circumstances and mankind’s ability to weather the most brutal storms in the ongoing quest for peace and happiness.

“It’s a record about how people handle extreme situations,” says Randy. “The literal translation is ‘Storm And Stress’ – it sums up everything on the record, it really does, perfectly. Obviously it started with me being in prison, but this isn’t my prison album. The song 512 is asking ‘How am I handling this?’ Anyone who’s been locked up will probably understand what I’m trying to say. It’s about the brutal psychic shift you undergo when you become incarcerated, because it’s not a normal situation at all. People in prison think and act 100% differently from people on the outside. It’s a different world.”

Reflecting this overall theme, VII: Sturm Und Drang features several songs that arose from Randy’s fascination with digging deeper into the horrors of history, the strength of humanity and our never-ending battle against oppressive, dishonest regimes. Closing track Torches was inspired by the story of Jan Palach, a Czech man that set himself alight in Wenceslas Square in protest against the Soviet Union’s invasion of Czechoslovakia. The furious Engage The Fear Machine deals with the manipulation of mass media to control the masses, using scare tactics and outright lies to spread fear and paranoia, as with the recent worldwide Ebola scare and its exploitation by unscrupulous broadcasters. Meanwhile, the hair-raising brutality of Anthropoid was inspired by the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the ‘Butcher Of Prague’ and architect of the Nazis’ final solution, in 1942. His assassins were “ratted out” and found themselves holed up in a local church crypt, with 800 Nazi stormtroopers out for their blood.

“They held the Nazis off for eight hours,” Randy explains. “These guys fought ‘em until they ran out of bullets and then they killed themselves so they wouldn’t be taken prisoner. So you can go into that crypt in Prague, and I did, and you can see where these guys were trying to dig through the wall into the sewer. It’s extremely heavy. These were superior men. That’s about as high level as you can get, in terms of character and doing the right thing. Situations don’t get much more extreme than that.”

To match the jarring intensity of the lyrics, the music on Lamb of God’s seventh album had to be both powerful and emotionally shrewd. In keeping with their previous works, VII: Sturm und Drang contains all the cherished LOG trademarks, but as with its predecessor Resolution, this is not a record that sits comfortably within a cozy formula. Instead, from the flailing muscularity of Erase This to the startling melodic vocals and surging crescendos of Overlord, from the skull-rattling grooves of Still Echoes to Embers’ heart-rending mixture of fragility and grandeur, this is both a consolidation of the values that Lamb of God have long upheld /and/ a bold leap into fresh territory that once again heralds the expansion of this band’s unique vision. With guest appearances from Deftones’ frontman Chino Moreno (on Embers) and Greg Puciato from The Dillinger Escape Plan (on monumental album closer Torches), VII: Sturm und Drang is a cohesive, focused and emotionally devastating piece of work.

“The last few years were definitely a unique period for us and one that doesn’t compare to anything we’ve gone through before,” states Mark Morton. “But for me, the writing process hasn’t changed. I just play the guitar and when something cool comes up and it’s relevant and appropriate to Lamb of God, I’ll document it and get it catalogued for future use. The difference this time was that me and Willie (Adler, LOG guitarist) collaborated a lot more than ever before. It grew from bits and pieces that me and Willie both brought in and we melded them into songs, with great results.”

“We set out to try and make a 10-song record,” Randy notes. “The concept of the album is getting lost nowadays, and one reason I think is that every fucking record is 18 songs long now. Albums used to really just be moments in time and they defined where the band was at that moment. Now I think there’s a lot of overwriting… this concept of more is better, and I think that’s nonsense. So we decided on ten songs, that’s it. Josh really encouraged Mark and Willie, those two write the tunes, instead of bringing in complete compositions on their own – and we’ve done that a lot in the past on records – and he got them to work together more. That happened quite a bit with this album and I think it made it much more cohesive and a stronger record as a result.”

Having lived through times that would have stopped most bands in their tracks, Lamb of God are back in 2015 with a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh perspective. They will embark on a full European Festival tour in the Summer of 2015, and then the Summer’s Last Stand Tour across North America, as direct support for Slipknot, and also featuring Bullet For My Valentine, and Motionless In White. Lamb of God are ready to roll.

“It’ll be cool to get out and tour the world and play this new stuff for the fans”, says Randy. “As always, I’ll try to see things I haven’t seen before, get out and do some photography and writing as well.”

“I’m really lucky to still be doing this with these guys and tour around the world,” Mark concludes. “That’s an honor and it’s one I don’t take for granted. It’s great to be part of something that’s as cool as Lamb Of God.”

Puddle of Mudd is an American rock band formed in 1991. To date, the band has sold over Seven Million Albums and has had a string of No. 1 Mainstream Rock Singles in the United States. Their major-label debut album titled "Come Clean" went Triple Platinum, selling more than 5 Million Copies. The Award Winning and Grammy Nominated Album produced numerous hits including "Blurry", "She Hates Me", "Drift & Die", and "Control". The band followed Come Clean with the release of their sophomore album titled "Life on Display", which was Certified Gold and is known for hits "Away From Me", "Heel Over Head", and "Spin You Around". Puddle of Mudd has gone on to have more than a dozen radio hits, headlined by the Gold Selling Single "Psycho". Other Hits Include: "Famous", "We Don't Have to Look Back Now", "Livin' on Borrowed Time", "Spaceship", "Stoned", and "Gimme Shelter", off their latest album release "re:(disc)overed" in 2011.

One of the first acts signed to Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst's label, Flawless Records, was the alt-metal quartet Puddle of Mudd -- consisting of Wesley Scantlin (guitar and vocals), Paul Phillips (guitar), Douglas Ardito (bass), and Greg Upchurch (drums). While their songs expectedly contain the rage of such contemporaries as Korn and Rage Against the Machine, Scantlin's voice at times is eerily similar to Nirvana's late, great frontman, Kurt Cobain, containing unmistakable elements of traditional hard rock (unlike the other aforementioned band's penchant for rap). August 2001 saw the release of their major-label debut, Come Clean (which was preceded by the independent release Abrasive), as they embarked on a European tour with Godsmack a month later, before touring the U.S. as part of the Family Values 2001 tour, alongside Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, and Staind. The band subsequently remained somewhat busy, releasing Life on Display in 2003 and Famous in 2007. Two years later, Puddle of Mudd went back into the studio with producer Brian Howes and recorded their fourth studio effort, Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love and Hate.

American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1994. The band has sold nearly four million records worldwide. They have released five studio albums. No original members of the band remain, except for vocalist Brett Scallions, who was out of the band himself from 2006 to 2010.

Politically charged punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania fronted by guitarist / vocalist Justin Sane. Formed in 1988, the band did not release their first official full length "Die For Your Government" until early 1997. Since then the band has released a steady stream of releases on a number of different labels.

Returning with the fifth full-length of their decimating career, there is no stopping the juggernaut that is Whitechapel. Our Endless War is the culmination of everything the Knoxville, Tennessee sextet have worked toward since their inception. A ruthlessly honed album that refuses to compromise on brutality, it is also by far their most streamlined, atmospheric, and emotionally powerful release, pushing every aspect of their sound to the next level. "The record grasps everything that we've done thus far," states guitarist Alex Wade. "It's got some of the elements from Whitechapel (2012), but also some from A New Era Of Corruption (2010) and This Is Exile (2008). It brings back the blastbeats and really aggressive sounding stuff from those earlier records, but it also has a lot of layers and some slower, more groove-oriented songs, which have become a big part of what we do."

Having progressed with every record, on Whitechapel the band took a stylistic leap forward, garnering a whole army of new fans and greater critical respect in the process. Looking back on the record Wade is grateful for the doors it kicked down, but refusing to ever be satisfied has served as a profound motivator in the band's evolution. "Whitechapel is a record that we all loved and put a lot of effort into, and I believe that was the beginning of us maturing our sound. But, two years later I feel that there were only four or five really good songs on there, while on Our Endless War I feel like every song is a great song. There's no filler, there's nothing there for the sake of it, and I stand behind everything we put into it." This determination is immediately apparent. Having started to "seriously" write in February of 2013, the album was a year in the making, the band letting the writing develop organically while putting everything under a microscope, working harder on perfecting every song than they ever had before. "As we get older we're learning how to write better songs. Earlier on in our career there was a lot of piecing riffs together, but now we sit back and really analyze every aspect of what we're doing on a song, and I think that shows."

For vocalist Phil Bozeman, Whitechapel opened doors for the band to truly come into their own. "Since putting out that record we felt as if we weren't held back by what people expected us to write. The best thing a band can have is diversity and show you can be talented no matter what type of music you're writing or performing, and that record did that for us." Accordingly, Our Endless War is indeed diverse, each song occupying its own space while contributing to the overall feel of the record. Opening with brief brooding instrumental "Rise", anyone concerned that the band might be lightening up will swiftly be silenced as the title track tears them a new one, for the first time introducing a visceral thrash element to their sound. "We've always had really fast parts, but that's a genre of metal we've never tapped into. Zach (Householder, guitar) is a huge thrash fan and brought that riff to us. We put a lot of effort into really bringing these lively thrash elements to the record, if we were going to do it we were going to do it right, but our way, and I think we pulled that off." Demonstrating they do every bit as much damage no matter what tempo they play at, the mechanical horror of "Let Me Burn" is one of the biggest songs the band have put their name to, while six-minute closer "Diggs Road" sees them scaling some seriously epic heights. "We wanted to make these songs as big as we possibly could, and we really focused on what's going to sound great when played live. A lot of people first hear us live, and we want songs that are not only going to sound good on the record." Famed for their three-guitar lineup, the band have always packed a crushing sonic punch, but on Our Endless War they take greater advantage of this than previously. Frequently, the seven-stringers build dramatic, incredibly heavy walls of thrilling noise through interweaving their parts, making for a sonic richness that pulls listeners even further into the songs. "On A New Era and Exile we had that kind of old school metal mindset: two guitar tracks, bass, drums, vocals - here it is, let's go. That changed on the self-titled record. We started not being afraid to really utilize the three guitars, and on the new record we didn't hold back on giving songs a lot of layers and textures to create something that is not only heavy but has a real depth to it."

As with all of Whitechapel's releases the heaviness does not just stem from the music but Bozeman's lyrics, showing characteristic diversity across the record's ten tracks. "The Saw Is The Law" shows defiance in the face of the band's detractors, while the futile loss of hope of an average man is explored in truly unsettling fashion on "Let Me Burn". He attacks the manner in which technology has overtaken contemporary life on "Worship The Digital Age", and on "Diggs Road" he unflinchingly delves into the struggles and suicidal thoughts stemming from losing his parents at an early age. As varied as they are, all of these themes are united by the title of record. "Our Endless War refers to every type of war. World war, personal war, life is war, no matter if you're happy, sad, depressed or emotionless. You have to fight every day to live no matter if it's a small or large-scale problem, whether it's an easy battle or a hard one."

When it came to tracking the album the band considered no one beyond Mark Lewis, who helmed Whitechapel. "Making the self-titled record went so well, we loved the way it came out, our label loved the way it came out, and our fans kept telling us that it was our best sounding record so it would have been stupid not to work with him again!" Wade laughs. "We're all close in age, so it's not like working with an older producer where we may be a little scared to speak up about things. With Mark we're all on the same page, making it really easy to work together, and the whole process went so smoothly." For the artwork, the band turned again to Aaron Marsh, who supplied Whitechapel with its stark, arresting imagery, but again they wanted to push things to the next level. "With the sound maturing we felt like the artwork needed to reflect that. We also introduced a new logo - our old logo is classic Whitechapel, and that's not something we plan on getting rid of, but as the band grows and changes we felt like we needed the logo to represent the maturity of this new Whitechapel."

With a lot of touring ahead of them, maintaining their hard working ethic that will see them whipping crowds into a frenzy the world over, there is arguably no metal band out there right now able to play to such diverse crowds as Whitechapel. Having previously drawn rabid crowds on both Warped Tour and Summer Slaughter, in 2013 they supported UK metalcore mob Asking Alexandria and label mates Gwar, causing a stir with both bands' audiences. "That we can play to a lot of different demographics is one of the things I'm most grateful for. We can play to the fourteen to eighteen year old Asking Alexandria crowd, and then we can play to the mid twenties to mid forties Gwar crowd. It's always been like that, and that's an amazing thing, because it strips us of the kind of limitations a lot of bands face. Whitechapel opened a lot of doors for us and we want to open a whole lot more with this new record. This is the best we've ever been, and we don't want to let anything stand in our way."

Twiztid is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1997, Twiztid is composed of Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric, who perform under the respective personas of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide. Spaniolo and Methric are former members of the group House of Krazees, which disbanded in 1997 a year after Jamie and Paul left, but released their final album in 1999. Twiztid performs a style of horrorcore rap and have released 11 studio albums, 10 EP's, 7 compilation albums and 1 mixtape.

Once upon a time, CKY burned it all down, with a raucous, anarchic, hard rock sound soaked in the skate-punk culture that birthed them and a hard-partying lifestyle onstage and off that decimated relationships and reputations in its wake. Now, CKY rises from the ashes of the aftermath with The Phoenix, a bold mission statement that hoists the flag high for big, raw, authentic, earth shaking rock n’ roll, liberated from useless pretense.

CKY’s sonic rebirth sounds as incendiary, expansive, and groovy as the Joshua Tree desert where it was made, and as decadent and funky as the strip-club adjacent rehearsal room where the songs were jammed out into submission. Each song is a forceful meditation on what makes CKY so killer.

Chad I Ginsburg, the band’s guitarist and singer, steps into the frontman role with charisma, charm, and bravado, confidently delivering a diverse performance as he claims a position that was clearly rightfully his to own.

He’s joined in enduring partnership and musical and personal chemistry by fellow CKY cofounder, Jess Margera, the drummer whose extracurricular work in projects like The Company Band (with guys from Clutch and Fireball Ministry) expanded CKY’s horizons as much as Ginsburg’s solo work has as well. The duo returned to their primary project refreshed and reenergized, with bassist Matt Deis (ex-All That Remains), who first joined CKY in 2005.

Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, and Deftones have all personally invited CKY on tour, cementing a legacy as a hard-charging live act. CKY built a worldwide fanbase of dedicated acolytes, friends, and supporters, lovingly dubbed the CKY Alliance, with a broader group of musicians, athletes, and other creative types in the CKY family, both literally and figuratively.

Carver City (2009) debuted at #4 on the Hard Music charts. It was the second CKY album to debut in the Top 50 on the Billboard 200: An Answer Can Be Found (2005) hit #35 upon its release. But if anything, The Phoenix is a spiritual successor to CKY’s breakthrough, Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild (2002), with a hint of the appropriately titled debut, Volume 1 (1999).

“We’re grown adults now with an eagle-eye perspective on who we are, what we do, and how to do it right,” Ginsburg declares, with matter-of-fact certainty. “None of us are out there in the clouds. We’re pretty well-grounded people that have an honest perspective on where we’re at.”

And where they are at is with a career-defining album that reshapes the brightest spots of CKY’s past while charging forward into a bright, self-assured future. “We made sure that we went into the studio with our guns blazing,” Margera says. “This isn’t a bunch of parts thrown together. We focused on the songs. We didn’t ‘have to’ make this album, we wanted to.”

In keeping with CKY tradition, The Phoenix was recorded at the famed Rancho De La Luna studio in California, which has played host to Daniel Lanois, Queens Of The Stone Age, Victoria Williams, Fu Manchu, and Mark Lanegan, among others. The studio was founded by David Catching, touring guitarist for Eagles Of Death Metal (among many credits), and late “desert sound” visionary Fred Drake.

“It’s one thing reading about the vibe at Rancho,” Margera says of the locale where the notoriously cool 1997 collaborative musical collective series known as The Desert Sessions took place. “And then it’s another thing to actually go out there and make an album. You’re like, ‘Ok, I get it.’”

“It’s the center of something out there,” Ginsburg agrees. “There’s a magnetic pull or something that lands directly in Dave’s backyard. I was just relaxed, waking up in the morning and getting right into the music.”

The goal was to make an authentic, organic, and “real” rock n’ roll record, uncompromising in its dedication to capturing what CKY actually sounds like playing in a room together, experienced at that gut-wrenching level of artistic intensity and swinging groove. As Margera explains: “Listen to a Zeppelin or Pink Floyd song and put that up against the copy/paste albums that are just snapped into a ‘grid,’ or whatever. There’s no comparison.”

The Phoenix touches on anger, revenge, good versus evil, desperation, recovery, growth, knowledge, survival, enemies, friends, and more. There’s heavy, dark, signature CKY grooves, “fun shit,” “fancy shit,” driving and almost danceable stuff, big melodies, total ear candy, immense diversity… There are even parts that sound like maybe Quincy Jones was given the keys to Rancho De La Luna and just ran amok with the dudes in CKY.

The totality of the CKY experience is perhaps best summarized by a quote from enigmatic comic book legend, author, and self-proclaimed magician, Alan Moore. “My experience of life is that it is not divided up into genres; it’s a horrifying, romantic, tragic, comical, science-fiction cowboy detective novel. You know, with a bit of pornography if you’re lucky.”

Margera observes that it was “a perfect storm of events” that led to CKY becoming a pretty popular name. “When it’s happening, you’re not paying attention. But once you get a couple of years under your belt, you realize, ‘Holy shit, man. That was lucky as hell that happened to us!’, ya’ know?”

“We’re feeling rather lucky,” Ginsburg agrees. “We’re not taking things for granted. We’re saturated in gratitude. It’s an incredibly humbled CKY, with a fire to last another twenty years. The point is to go play rock n’ roll and appreciate everybody else who does it, too. It’s a lucky job to have.”

Saliva was founded in 1996 in Memphis, TN. They released their self-titled album on August 26, 1997 under Rocking Chair Records. It sold over 10,000 copies within their region, prompting Island Records to take notice and sign the band. Their second album Every Six Seconds (2001) featured the chart-topping hits "Your Disease" and "Click Click Boom" that were featured in The Fast and The Furious, Talladega Nights and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003. Saliva received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002 and the album was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Their follow-up,Back Into Your System, contained the crossover-hit single "Always" which reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Modern Rock chart. The album has since been certified gold by the RIAA. Survival of the Sickest and Blood Stained Love Story (which contained rock anthem "Ladies and Gentlemen") followed as Saliva's third and fourth albums; reaching #20 and #19 on The Billboard 200 chart. Cinco Diablo and Under Your Skin are their two most recent releases.

Saliva's current lineup includes original members Dave Novotny (bass), Paul Crosby (drums), and Wayne Swinny (guitar). Bobby Amaru joined Saliva in 2012 as their new vocalist. Amaru hails from Jacksonville FL, where he has been a prominent vocalist/musician/producer/songwriter for the past decade. He was the frontman of his solo band, Amaru, in addition to the drummer for Burn Season, who were signed to Elektra Records in 2001. In February 2012, Saliva released their first single "All Around The World" featuring their new singer. Their talent and raw energy makes for an explosive combination, which is reflected by the band's live show - what Saliva refers to as their "secret weapon". Catch them live and see for yourself...!

The band continues to deliver unique, uncompromising, and undeniable hard rock on its self-titled ninth studio album and first for Razor & Tie. Weathering lineup changes, label shifts, and other trials and tribulations, founding members Elias Soriano [vocals] and Robb Rivera [drums] regrouped with fresh blood—Dave Lizzio [guitar], Adam Wolosyzn [bass], and Rasheed Thomas [guitar]—and captured pure fire this time around. Now, you might just get burned if you're in their way…

In the spring of 2011, Nonpoint experienced something of a rebirth. After touring heavily behind Miracle, they underwent a creative overhaul with the addition of Lizzio, Wolosyzn, and Thomas. At the same time, Rivera stresses that preserving the outfit's initial integrity proved paramount to songwriting.

"Basically, we wanted to go back to where we came from," he affirms. "Take our first four albums, throw them in a blender, and this is what you get. Elias wrote some of his deepest lyrics and spit rage in the booth. When it came to the guitars, Dave and Rasheed brought in genuine technical talent. It's old school with some new flavors."

Soriano adds, "We wanted this record to be a punch in the face. Dealing with lawyers and losing members, the last year was obviously very difficult. I also had just become a father around the same time. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to artistically vent about."

In order to transfer that energy to tape, they enlisted the talents of Grammy Award-nominated producer Johnny K [Disturbed, Staind, Megadeth] for the first time. They holed up in his Groovemaster Recording Studios in February 2012 and emerged with 12 of the most raw and real songs of their 15-year career. Johnny pushed them to expand their patented sound, while simultaneously sticking to their guns.

"He challenged each of us instrumentally," Rivera elaborates. "He brought out anger and angst that we haven't felt in a long time. We're known as a live act, and he paid attention to that fact. We built this on the road. This record sounds like war coming out of the speakers."

The first single "Left For You" slides from an intense riff into a hypnotic verse punctuated by an infectious chorus. Produced and mixed by Brian Virtue [30 Seconds to Mars, Chevelle] in Nashville, it's immediately explosive. Lyrically, the singer doesn't hold anything back either.

"It's about that moment where being discreet or cordial gets thrown out the window," he reveals. "You realize you're fighting for a relationship—whether it's romantic, business, or social—that you don't really want anymore. You say fuck it and never revisit that friendship again."

Nonpoint opened up the floodgates to the album by unleashing one of its heaviest tracks, "I Said It," as a free download their Facebook page in the summer of 2012. The fans responded with overwhelming enthusiasm, welcoming the onslaught. Showcasing dynamic vocal delivery and a groove-driven stomp, it's perfect for the pit.

"We set the DNA of the record with that song," the vocalist smiles. "It's very aggressive and in-your-face. You can think of it as 'Bullet with a Name 2012'. It's a good old fashioned Nonpoint song you can bang in the gym." As a whole, the album feels like a declaration for the band. They've never given up, and it's not even an option. This is who they are, and they're making music which reflects their spirit.

"It's a fresh start for us," Soriano states. "We felt like having a self-titled record says it all. We hit the reset button, and there's life again. You can hear it musically. We're not going anywhere."

In addition, they remain one of the most consistent and incendiary live acts on the scene. Having shared the stage with everyone from Sevendust and Stone Sour to Papa Roach and Buckcherry as well as appearing at festivals such as OZZfest and the UK's Download, each performance stands out as an experience their fan base fervently follows.

The quintet also inked a deal with Razor & Tie in 2011, setting the stage for this next phase. "It was the most natural thing," says Rivera. "They have an incredible team, and they sought us out. We're experienced to begin this chapter together."

Over the course of their nine previous releases, Nonpoint sold over 750,000 albums in North America alone. In addition to fan favorites like "What a Day" and "Circles", their biggest radio hit to date "Bullet With a Name" reached #22 on the Mainstream Rock Charts and was featured in the hit video game WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 as well as the 2007 film The Condemned. Meanwhile, their cover of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" was the theme song for the film Miami Vice and hit the Mainstream Rock Charts.

At the end of the day, Rivera wants to give back via the music. "We try to help people through our art," he exclaims. "So many kids have connected to our songs over the years, and they've supported us unconditionally. We fought through so much, and we never gave up. I hope they get a positive message from this album."

Soriano concludes, "It doesn't feel like we have some kind of goal. It feels like we have a purpose, which is to put out hopeful music. When this process started, a fuse got lit. We're not stopping until it all burns." Their flame will only rise higher.

Texas Hippie Coalition are the purveyors of their own patented Red Dirt Metal sound: designing their own line in life and in music. For them, there is no other way. Texas Hippie Coalition are committed to crafting a unique, original and thoroughly raucous brand of music that’s born of both life experience and a respect for rock ‘n’ roll’s forefathers.

What exactly is Red Dirt Metal? Take outlaw country, toss in a dash of Southern-fried classic rock and mix it with some potent Texas power grooves and you’ve got a combustible sonic cocktail on your hands.

ORGY emerged in the Goth music scene in 1998 with their incredible remake of ‘Blue Monday’. The track sold over 1 million copies and built a worldwide audience for the brand. In late 2005, after the release of the D1 Music and Associates Punk Statik Paranoia PSP and their D1 Music /DLC Records Independent “TRANS GLOBAL SPECTACLE” DVD promotional tour the band went on a hiatus to work on their side projects. In 2011, after seven years of demand from fans for new music and a tour, founding member Jay Gordon (vocals) decided it was time to kick things back up and begin recording and touring again in support of ORGY’s fans.
Born in San Francisco, CA, Jay Gordon was heavily influenced by music from a young age. After playing bass for several years and working as a producer and engineer on several albums (including Coal Chamber’s self-titled album and others), Jay was introduced to four other musicians who, with him, would eventually form ORGY. After establishing themselves in the scene, the band was noticed by Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis and signed to Elementree/Reprise records.

Jimmie's Chicken Shack is an American alternative rock band from Annapolis, Maryland. They emerged through MTV as one of the first post-grunge bands of the era.

Blending funk-metal with elements of ska and reggae but also a surprising acoustic prowess. Lead vocalist Jimmy HaHa grew up in Maryland and played with a group named Ten Times Big for several years. After the band broke up, he hit the snowboarding circuit for two years but then began several acoustic jams with friends. HaHa recruited drummer Jim Chaney (from Ten Times Big), longtime friend Che' Lemon on bass, and guitarist Dave Dowling (aka Double D) to form Jimmie's Chicken Shack. Based in Annapolis, MD, the group formed their own Fowl Records and released Give Something Back. After selling tens of thousands of records around the Baltimore area, Jimmie's Chicken Shack signed to Elton John's Rocket Records and released their major-label debut, Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope. Still involved with their own label, however, the group also released The Original Recipe, a collection of early recordings, followed in 1999 by Bring Your Own Stereo. A five-year wait preceded the release of Re.present in 2004.

Slaves is an American experimental rock group formed in Sacramento, California in 2014. The band consists of lead vocalist Jonny Craig formerly of Emarosa, Dance Gavin Dance and Isles & Glaciers, guitarists Alex Lyman and Christopher Kim of Hearts & Hands, and drummer Tai Wright of Four Letter Lie and Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows. The band released their debut album, Through Art We Are All Equals on June 24, 2014.

Tantric is a Gold Selling Alternative Rock Band from Louisville, Kentucky. They are best known for Chart Topping Hit "Breakdown", as well as more than a dozen other Radio Singles, including "Astounded", "Down and Out", "Hey Now", "Mourning", and "Mind Control".

To hear the soundtrack running through Hugo Ferreira’s head, just listen to the 13 songs on the new Tantric album. With more than 50 minutes of visceral, diverse rock, 37 Channels musically mines the soul of the Tantric singer, letting listeners inside the band’s most personal and evocative album to date—and that’s saying something for a platinum-selling group with hit singles including ‘Breakdown” and “Down and Out.” Of heady new songs like “Loss for Words,” “Where Do We Go From Here?” and “Broken,” Ferreira explains with a laugh: “I can’t afford a therapist, so this is what I do. I regurgitate all my angst and pain and confusion and joy. I’m showing more, letting people into my brain and heart.”

Helping give life to 37 Channels are an impressive list of players and friends, including Shooter Jennings (on the quirky “Mosquita”); Leif Garrett, bluesy rhythm guitarist Kenny Olson (Kid Rock); Hinder singer Austin Winkler (co-vocals to “Fault” and “Bullet”); Saving Abel guitarist Scott Bartlett, Uncle Kracker axeman Kevin McCreery; and drummer Greg Upchurch (3 Doors Down). But make no mistake; if Ferreira is the only original member, 37 Channels is still very much a Tantric record: “It’s always been my baby, I’m still the guy who co-founded the band back in Louisville,” he explains. “I’ve had different incarnations throughout the years, and the sounds have changed with the different players, but his is the most “Tantric” Tantric record so far. I even did my own harmony vocals. The whole album is very articulate to what I wanted it to sound like.” While the record’s guest list is impressive, the big names are tasteful additions, not flashy add-ons. Ferreira puts it more bluntly: “I didn’t let people jerk off all over this record! I’m very protective of it. I used to let things go, but I literally oversaw every aspect of 37 Channels.”

That included writing 116 songs, recording 19, and in order to create the uncompromised music he heard in his head, playing all the instruments himself on initial versions of the songs. When he was happy with a tune, he’d then enlist the players to execute it best. “I’m a good guitar player, I'm a great piano player, I’m an ok drummer and I’m a good bass player,” he relates. “But I’m really more of a songwriter and singer than anything.” Producing the record himself (in addition to doing one song with Fuel/Collective Soul producer Malcolm Springer) Ferreira tracked 37 Channels at Nashville’s Rivergate Studios. “It was great after spending two and a half years writing at home.” Of that lengthy songwriting process, the frontman explains, “Even if a song isn’t about something that happened to me, whether it’s me thinking about that poor guy who just walked by looked hungry or whatever, I’m always cognitively thinking. My head doesn’t have a shut off switch, and the record reflects that in all the different subject matter. ‘Mosquita’ has a comical undertone, but ‘You Got What You Wanted’ and ‘Loss for Words’ are very serious songs—and they’re interconnected.”

The album title, as might be clear, references the myriad of topics playing in the singer’s mind at any given time, and comes from a lyric in the song “Rise.” “I’m the poster child for ADD,” he says, “but. I choose not to medicate for that. I’m super hyper, and when people meet me, they’re like “there are a lot of tangents on this kid!’ Or, as he also analogizes: “There are a lot of branches in this tree, and I hop from one to another a lot. The only time I can focus is when I’m in the studio and I’m by myself, with a little bottle of vodka and a pack of cigarettes.”

Despite the sometimes-painful lyrical content, 37 Channels is often a fun record, especially on tracks like “Mosquita” and ‘My Turn,’ where Ferreira, who calls himself “the antithesis of a rock star!” has a blast randomly ranting and raving. Looking back at the last several years of work that led up to 37 Channels and a new record deal for Tantric, he doesn’t regret the time taken, nor place in the current music milieu. He believes this new record has taken—and needed--his lifetime to write: “There are bits and pieces of my entire life in this record, so it really did take my whole life, and that’s why it can only be written and recorded in this way.”

As 37 Channels makes clear, Tantric is a career band at the peak of its powers, as will be borne out by a tour later this year. While there’s diversity within and among the records, the signature Ferreira vocals and sensibilities shine through. As he concludes, “I consider Tantric a boat that I float in—it’s a vessel that carries the music. So I never feel restrictions. It doesn’t have any rules. Tantric music can be super-heavy, light--or both It’s really an open book with no ending in sight.”

The Veer Union formed in 2004, when vocalist Crispin Earl and guitarist Eric Schraeder found themselves living in adjacent rehearsal studios in downtown East Vancouver. The friends had previously pursued music in different bands; Earl contributed songs to Tommy Lee's solo album and fronted the band Everything After, while Schraeder enjoyed a short stint on Hollywood Records with 40 Foot Echo. On February 22, 2012, it was announced that bassist Marc Roots and guitarist James Fiddler left the band. Schraeder grew apart from Earl after dropped from their record label Universal Motown Records

Motograter was formed in 1995 and is most well known for their namesake instrument the “Motograter”, a mysterious contraption designed with industrial cable, guitar pieces, and other components, to create a unique, low, distorted bass sound. The band is widely known for their image, notorious for covering themselves in tribal style body paint. The early stages of the group’s career consisted of heavy experimentation with industrial sounds, samples, and tribal drums. The band released two EP’s ‘Hugh Chardon’ and ‘Indy’ and in 2001 were signed to Sever Records, founded by Dez Fafara of Coal Chamber. The band’s sound continued to evolve, eventually incorporating a dark, groove-oriented guitar styling, that would help broaden the band’s appeal and reach a wider audience. In 2003, the band inked a deal with No Name/Elektra Records and released the highly acclaimed. self-titled album, ‘Motograter’, featuring Ivan Moody (Five Finger Death Punch/Ghost Machine) on vocals. The song “Suffocate” was featured on the soundtrack to the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The song “Down” is featured on the EA Sports video game Nascar Thunder 2004. Motograter toured on Ozzfest 2003. Motograter has toured with Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Chevelle, Disturbed, Ministry, Nothingface, Kittie, Mushroomhead, Cradle of Filth, Killswitch Engage, Chimaira, Shadows Fall, Voivod, and many more.

Shallow Side is a rock band through and through. Combining the driving rhythms that push the core of pop music with aggressive guitar work, carefully constructed bass passages, and a voice that smashes into focus atop the platform laid down by the music, Shallow Side has crafted a new sound with the same "no holds barred" attitude that has kept rock n roll alive and kicking since its inception.

Shallow Side continues to push the envelope, providing a viable outlet for anyone looking for the future of hard rock.